Chief's Welcome

Greetings from Chief Michael Pristoop,

Welcome to the official website of the Annapolis Police Department (APD). This site will help you become familiar with the different aspects of our agency, its history and the men and women who are responsible for keeping our community safe. We provide real-time access for members of our community and visitors to discover our police department and explore the programs and services that mark our march to progress. This is a very busy and exciting time for the Annapolis Police Department. The men and women who serve APD dedicate themselves each day to the fundamental goal of making our city safer. Their commitment to providing quality and professional police services is something of which we can all be proud.

Over the past six years, we have successfully implemented crime-fighting strategies aimed at reducing crime in Annapolis and improving the quality of life for our residents and visitors. We are pleased to share that we have made tremendous strides towards accomplishing this paramount goal. This achievement was by no accident. The men and women of our Agency, supported by our partners in government and the community, have exerted their time and energy to attain unprecedented results. I am proud to say that together we have reduced crime below the best of any year in the past 35 years. In fact, we reduced overall crime by more than 40% compared to 2008 and significantly more compared to other years. We reduced violence by over 60% in the same time period. This clearly illustrates progress, yet more remains to be done.

To this end, the Annapolis Police Department is committed to the continued acquisition and use of new tools and technology. I have seen modern technology and its beneficial impact in crime fighting. Five minutes spent on a laptop computer for example allows an officer to save precious time in investigative steps or gathering intelligence that might otherwise take hours, even days. That makes an enormous difference. So too the utilization of crime-mapping technology allows the tracking of crime as it happens and therefore enables immediate and precise deployment of resources. As we have modernized, we still continue to research and employ best practices that produce successful results in police departments and communities across the nation. One such approach in Annapolis is the deployment and use of strategically placed closed circuit television cameras. Another strategy is the use of Neighborhood Enhancement Teams where a team of officers consistently dedicates efforts to specific, troubled neighborhoods, and officers use traditional and innovative approaches to improve “their” neighborhood. APD also uses Comstat as a model for accurate and timely intelligence, effective tactics for problem solving, rapid deployment and resource allocation, and relentless follow up and assessment. These are just a few examples of our strategies.

Other technology advancements, to list a few, include license plate recognition, modernized crime lab equipment, and field-based reporting so officers can write police reports on their patrol beat. These improvements help speed our progress on the crime-fighting front. The end result of our innovation will be more pro-active deployment of police resources, investigative ability and community problem solving.

We are commit ted to strengthening our successful partnerships and forging new ones. Just as we support all communities in Annapolis, we ask the same of our communities. No police department can solve problems without the willing support of the people it serves. Community and civic involvement are paramount to the realization of our goal of improving public safety. Similarly, the value of government partnerships cannot be overstated. The Annapolis Police Department is honored to be the forerunner department and model for the Maryland’s "Safe Streets Coalition." The Coalition was created through the support and commitment of the Governor of Maryland and other government leaders forming a partnership between City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, the State of Maryland, and the U.S. Government. Pledging their full support of Annapolis' crime fighting efforts, participating agencies bring their resources and expertise to our City as we operate as a team to accomplish a common goal. We welcome and appreciate this invaluable help.

Despite all our accomplishments we acknowledge APD is a work in progress. We continue to acquire a broader capacity to positively impact peoples' lives in our city. Whether it is improved technology, more efficient delivery of services, intelligence-based investigations, or breathing life into the Capital City Safe Streets Coalition, we are an agency on the move. As we move forward we are also growing. We are especially interested in hearing from potential police officer candidates at this exciting time in our history. Continue to follow us here on this site, Facebook and Twitter as we turn the next page. Let us know how we’re doing.

Chief Pristoop's Biography

Chief Michael A. Pristoop began his police career in 1986 as a patrolman in Baltimore City, Maryland and retired in 2007 as a Major in command of the Northern District – one of the city’s nine police districts. During his tenure with the Baltimore Police Department, he held the ranks of Patrol Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Deputy Major and District Commander (Major). After 21 years of service to Baltimore City, he left to become Chief of Police with the Maryland Department of General Services – Maryland Capital Police (DGS-MCP). In April, 2008, Chief Pristoop was selected to serve as the interim Chief of the Annapolis Police Department and was sworn-in as the 25th Chief of Police on July 29, 2008.

The majority of Chief Pristoop's career has been in operational assignments. He has supervised many diverse areas as a sergeant and lieutenant including patrol, district detectives, drug enforcement, domestic violence, and uniform and plain-clothes special operations. During 7 years with the SWAT team, he served as both an officer and as the team’s leader. He commanded a city-wide Special Enforcement Team before being promoted to Deputy Major. In that position, he served as the executive officer of the city’s Western District. His final assignment in Baltimore was as District Commander in charge of the Northern District, a geographic area covering approximately 16 square miles and home to 100,000 residents, 80 diverse communities, 3 major colleges and universities, and 2 respected hospitals. As District Commander of the Northern District, Chief Pristoop commanded 160 police officers, detectives, supervisors and civilian personnel.

Chief Pristoop has been credited with enacting significant crime reduction strategies and has directed numerous special assignments in his career. As the Northern District commander, his strategies helped to significantly reduce violent and property crime in his district and the City of Baltimore. In 2002, Chief Pristoop was detailed to command dozens of police officers in the District of Columbia for the International Monetary Fund (World Bank) protests. He was also deployed to New Orleans, Louisiana in September 2005, as part of a Maryland task force, in command of police personnel during a successful search and rescue mission centered in hard-hit St. Bernard Parish in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

As Chief of Police for DGS-MCP, Chief Pristoop commanded 180 sworn, security, and civilian personnel. This agency is responsible for security and law enforcement operations in and around 30 state-managed facilities and 25 parking areas in the Annapolis and Baltimore areas. DGS-MCP is also the lead agency for Maryland’s “state-wide” expanding Electronic Security Card Program.

Chief Pristoop holds a BS in Jurisprudence from the University of Baltimore and a JD from the University of Baltimore, School of Law, earning high honors with both degrees. He is a member of the Maryland Bar, the Heuisler Honor Society, Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Chief Pristoop is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 215th Session, and is credited with a professional publication. Beyond all, his greatest joy and accomplishment is being the father of two wonderful children, Taylor and Alex.

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